Summer's Almost Gone
“Summer's almost gone
Summer's almost gone
Almost gone
Yeah, it's almost gone
Where will we be
When the summer's gone?”
-- Jim Morrison
Despite all of the horrors associated with the Trump presidency, I believe that we will be in a good place as we approach the fall elections. I'm confident that the Mueller investigation will continue to provide documentation of the gross corruption of the Trump campaign, transition team, and administration. This will include the closely related Southern District of New York's case against Michael Cohen. I think that the current political environment provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Democrats to make significant progress at the state and national levels.
There have been a number of interesting – though at times acrimonious – discussions about various types of Democrats on this forum in recent weeks. I tend to self-identify as a Kennedy Democrat, and still wear the tie clip that Robert F. Kennedy handed out on the steps of the Chenango County Courthouse steps back in 1964, during his campaign for Senate. However, at this point in time, I think it is essential that we drop everything but “Democrat.” We need to kick it into higher gear, and work together to elect all of the Democratic candidates.
I have two invitations, one for tomorrow and another for the middle of next week, to meet with candida I've been asked to help attract the support of the Democratic Left (progressives independents). In this tes and their campaign leaders for two state offices. Though I am not in either candidate's district,region of the state, there are more independent voters than registered Democrats, making it necessary to “unite the tribes” in order to achieve victories. This approach allowed local Democrats to achieve unprecedented victories in the past decade.
There are three candidates in NYS districts running for seats in the House of Representatives that I am focusing on. I think that the three provide the model necessary to not only maintain our party's strength, but also to expand it. And it is expanded by offering more seats at the table, seats that offer better representation to a wider variety of Democrats. More, the three illustrate the potential strength of unity, versus the self-defeating nature of divisions within the Democratic Party.
The first campaign I have joined and continue to support is that of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She has brought great excitement to the 2018 elections, by advocating for the progressive change that a large segment of our party wants. There has been some grumbling, including on this forum, about her identifying as a Democratic Socialist. In fact, a few forum members have posted a splattering of anti-Alexandria information on a daily basis. Now that the contested primaries are over, I hope that this divisive activity stops. We need to be united.
On Sunday afternoon, I will be meeting with Anthony Brindisi and his campaign. He is running against Claudia Tenney in NYS's 22nd Congressional District. Some in the RNC are calling this one of the most important contests in the country. Brindisi has a very good chance of unseating Tenney, who is one of the most toxic republicans today. In fact, she is so desperate that it was announced this week that Trump will be coming to Utica on Monday to campaign for her.
This is being organized by none other than Carl Paladino, the chairman of Trump's NYS campaign. This is the same Carl Paladino that ran a failed campaign for governor (among other positions), and who was removed from his local school board for racism. Utica's republican leaders, aware of the the depth of anti-Trump sentiments in the area, pressured Paladino to change the original plans for the Trump rally – it has since been announced that it will be a closed meeting of only “donors.” There was an attempt to keep the time and location secret. That effort failed, and our side will be outside, peacefully protesting against Trump and Tenney.
(I should note that after redistricting, Maurice Hinchey represented the district in Congress. My aunt served as his top aide for many years. Democrats can win this district, especially with a strong candidate like Anthony Brindisi.)
Paladino, of course, is from western NYS. While I do not know if he is a blood relative of Rep. Chris Collins, it is safe to say they are from the same family. Their family businesses have overlapped for decades. Collins was more successful in politics, because he has been slick, while Paladino is a dim-wit. But both are Trump republicans.
By being indicted on federal charges this week, Collins is now damaged goods. Paladino and Collins are convinced that Collins can win re-election in the 27th District by claiming that organized crime does a lot of good for communities. However, although it is beneath the surface, a significant number of republican leaders in the 27th are asking that Collins step aside. They've noted that if Collin accept a nomination for a local position, such as town clerk, their party can legally replace him on the ballot for Congress.
Either way, this creates a great opportunity for the Democratic candidate, Grand Island Town Supervisor Nate McMurray. At this time, McMurray's campaign is in need of grass roots' donations. We can be sure the republican party will be heavily financing Collins or any candidate that might replace him. Thus, I am going to send a donation to his campaign that matches what I donate to Alexandria and Anthony Brindisy. And if others are in a position to help McMurray's campaign, linked to below, it's a much-needed investment in democracy.
https://votemcmurray.com/
Thank you for your consideration. Unite, and fight the Good Fight!
H2O Man
= new reply since forum marked as read
His talents will no doubt shine through the haze of corruption.
Btw Pt.2 - I bet I drove by or very near to your current place when I was driving up to Seneca Falls all those years ago. If I recall right Ithaca was one of the legs of the journey. It used to take me 6 hours and one fresh gas up of my VW Squareback to get up there.
Funny but I used to think the house I grew up in back in Woodhaven was old since it was built around 1908. 
Silly me.
